Productivity of Spanish verb–noun compounds
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Jiyoung Yoon
Abstract
This study examines Spanish verb–noun compounds in terms of the role played by, and the relationship between, metonymy and metaphor in generating them. After exploring different referent types denoted by Spanish verb–noun compounds such as instrument, agent, place, plant, animal/insect, and causer event, sample examples are analyzed in each referent type for their conceptualization patterns. The analytical tools are based on the notion of domain-internal and domain-external conceptual mappings for metonymy and metaphor, respectively, as well as on the model proposed in the Combined Input Hypothesis for the analysis of metaphors involving multiple inputs. The analysis of the data shows that there are at least four metonymic and metaphoric patterns involved in Spanish verb–noun compounds and that these patterns are productive. The four patters are: (i) only metonymy is involved; (ii) target-in-source metonymy is derived from metaphor; (iii) metaphor is derived from target-in-source metonymy, and (iv) metonymy is derived from a metaphor which is derived from metonymy. This study proposes that these four types of metonymic and metaphoric patterns mediate the production of novel Spanish verb–noun compounds. The implication of this finding is that the more complex the cognitive operations involved in verb–noun compounds, the less predictable the meaning of the compound will be for the language users who first hear them; but once learnt, the meaning of the compound is stored as a whole unit in their mental lexicon. An analysis of a larger corpus of data in future studies will reveal a more comprehensive picture of the relational patterns involved in Spanish verb–noun compounds.
Abstract
This study examines Spanish verb–noun compounds in terms of the role played by, and the relationship between, metonymy and metaphor in generating them. After exploring different referent types denoted by Spanish verb–noun compounds such as instrument, agent, place, plant, animal/insect, and causer event, sample examples are analyzed in each referent type for their conceptualization patterns. The analytical tools are based on the notion of domain-internal and domain-external conceptual mappings for metonymy and metaphor, respectively, as well as on the model proposed in the Combined Input Hypothesis for the analysis of metaphors involving multiple inputs. The analysis of the data shows that there are at least four metonymic and metaphoric patterns involved in Spanish verb–noun compounds and that these patterns are productive. The four patters are: (i) only metonymy is involved; (ii) target-in-source metonymy is derived from metaphor; (iii) metaphor is derived from target-in-source metonymy, and (iv) metonymy is derived from a metaphor which is derived from metonymy. This study proposes that these four types of metonymic and metaphoric patterns mediate the production of novel Spanish verb–noun compounds. The implication of this finding is that the more complex the cognitive operations involved in verb–noun compounds, the less predictable the meaning of the compound will be for the language users who first hear them; but once learnt, the meaning of the compound is stored as a whole unit in their mental lexicon. An analysis of a larger corpus of data in future studies will reveal a more comprehensive picture of the relational patterns involved in Spanish verb–noun compounds.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction to the Volume 1
-
The contemporary theory of metaphor: Revisions and recent developments
- Recent developments in metaphor theory 11
- The contemporary theory of metaphor — now new and improved! 27
- Awareness in metaphor understanding 67
- Productivity of Spanish verb–noun compounds 85
-
Metaphor and/or metonymy across different discourse/genre types
- Motion metaphors in discourse construction 109
- The adaptation of metaphors across genres 133
- Multimodal metonymy and metaphor as complex discourse resources for creativity in ICT advertising discourse 157
- How patent can patents be? 183
- Euphemistic conceptual metaphors in epitaphs from Highgate Cemetery 201
-
The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor: Current Applications
- Cognitive Semantic ways of teaching figurative phrases 229
- Translation Studies and the cognitive theory of metaphor 265
- Distinguishing near-synonyms and translation equivalents in metaphorical terms 283
- Subject index 317
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction to the Volume 1
-
The contemporary theory of metaphor: Revisions and recent developments
- Recent developments in metaphor theory 11
- The contemporary theory of metaphor — now new and improved! 27
- Awareness in metaphor understanding 67
- Productivity of Spanish verb–noun compounds 85
-
Metaphor and/or metonymy across different discourse/genre types
- Motion metaphors in discourse construction 109
- The adaptation of metaphors across genres 133
- Multimodal metonymy and metaphor as complex discourse resources for creativity in ICT advertising discourse 157
- How patent can patents be? 183
- Euphemistic conceptual metaphors in epitaphs from Highgate Cemetery 201
-
The Contemporary Theory of Metaphor: Current Applications
- Cognitive Semantic ways of teaching figurative phrases 229
- Translation Studies and the cognitive theory of metaphor 265
- Distinguishing near-synonyms and translation equivalents in metaphorical terms 283
- Subject index 317
